Can Call of Duty and Battlefield co-exist? EA doesn’t think so. While Activision has welcomed competition from the Battlefield 3 publisher, with the likes of CoD community manager Robert Bowling going as far to praise BF3, EA continues to take pot shots at the CoD brand. The latest stint in this war of words comes from EA corporate communications head Jeff Brown, who reportedly told IndustryGamers that he expects CoD to drop off the grid entirely in the next 2-3 years.

However, Brown’s exact words were much more cutthroat. He likened the series’ fate to Activision’s other franchises, such as Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero, both of which have been shelved for the foreseeable future. Here’s the full quote:

Welcome to the big leagues Eric — I know you’re new in the job but someone should have told you this is an competitive industry.

“You’ve got every reason to be nervous. Last year Activision had a 90 share in the shooter category. This year, Battlefield 3 is going to take you down to 60 or 70. At that rate, you’ll be out of the category in 2-3 years. If you don’t believe me, go to the store and try to buy a copy of Guitar Hero or Tony Hawk.

While the mudslinging may be entertaining, one wonders if EA should just let the game do the talking.

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